SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “CONTROL EQUIPMENT”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 records

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2015

Brigham City Hydro Generation Project

Brigham City owns and operates its own municipal power system which currently includes several hydroelectric facilities. This project was to update the efficiency and capacity of current hydro production due to increased water flow demands that could pass through existing generation facilities. During 2006-2012, this project completed efficiency evaluation as it related to its main objective by completing a feasibility study, undergoing necessary City Council approvals and required federal environmental reviews. As a result of Phase 1 of the project, a feasibility study was conducted to determine feasibility of hydro and solar portions of the original proposal. The results indicated that the existing Hydro plant which was constructed in the 1960’s was running at approximately 77% efficiency or less. Brigham City proposes that the efficiency calculations be refined to determine the economic feasibility of improving or replacing the existing equipment with new high efficiency equipment design specifically for the site. Brigham City completed the Feasibility Assessment of this project, and determined that the Upper Hydro that supplies the main culinary water to the city was feasible to continue with. Brigham City Council provided their approval of feasibility assessment’s results. The Upper Hydro Project include removal of the existing powerhouse equipment and controls and demolition of a section of concrete encased penstock, replacement of penstock just upstream of the turbine inlet, turbine bypass, turbine shut-off and bypass valves, turbine and generator package, control equipment, assembly, start-up, commissioning, Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA), and the replacement of a section of conductors to the step-up transformer. Brigham City increased the existing 575 KW turbine and generator with an 825 KW turbine and generator. Following the results of the feasibility assessment Brigham City pursued required environmental reviews with the DOE and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) concurring with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) It was determined that Brigham City’s Upper Hydroelectric Power Plant upgrade would have no effect to federally listed or candidate species. However Brigham City has contributed a onetime lump sum towards Bonneville cutthroat trout conservation in the Northern Bonneville Geographic Management Unit with the intention to offset any impacts from the Upper Hydro Project needed to move forward with design and construction and is sufficient for NEPA compliance. No work was done in the river or river bank. During construction, the penstock was disconnected and water was diverted through and existing system around the powerhouse and back into the water system. The penstock, which is currently a 30-inch steel pipe, would be removed and replaced with a new section of 30-inch pipe. Brigham City worked with the DOE and was awarded a new modification and the permission to proceed with Phase III of our Hydro Project in Dec. 2013; with the exception to the modification of the award for the construction phase. Brigham City developed and issued a Request for Proposal for Engineer and Design vendor. Sunrise Engineering was selected for the Design and throughout the Construction Phase of the Upper Hydroelectric Power Plant. Brigham City conducted a Kickoff Meeting with Sunrise June 28, 2013 and received a Scope of Work Brigham City along with engineering firm sent out a RFP for Turbine, Generator and Equipment for Upper Hydro. We select Turbine/Generator Equipment from Canyon Industries located in Deming, WA. DOE awarded Brigham City a new modification and the permission to proceed with Phase III Construction of our Hydro Project. Brigham City Crews removed existing turbine/generator and old equipment alone with feeder wires coming into the building basically giving Caribou Construction an empty shell to begin demolition. Brigham City contracted with Caribou Construction from Jerome, Idaho for the Upper Power Plant construction. A kickoff meeting was June 24, 2014 and demolition was immediately started on building. Because of a delivery delay of Turbine, Generator and Equipment from Canyon Brigham City had to request another extension for the final date of completion. DOE awarded modification (.007) to Brigham City with a new completion date of August 1, 2015. The Turbine has had a few adjustments to help with efficiency; but the Generator had a slight vibration when generator got hot so Canyon Industries had U S Motor’s that manufactured the generator come to check out the issue. The other Equipment seems to be running normal. Brigham City, Sunrise Engineering and Canyon Industries met to determine what the vibration in the generator was and how to solve the issue Us Motor’s found some welds that failed: they have been repaired. U S Motor’s delivered the repaired generator Feb. 17, 2015. Canyon Industries arranged for a crane to installed generator in Power Plant. U S Motor’s balanced and wired generator. Plant Operators put the generator back on line. Canyon Industries returned and gave their approval to keep Hydro online. After Hydro was put back into operations it kept going off line because of overheating issues. Canyon Industries returned and replaced sensors and adjusted them to the proper settings for normal operations. Brigham City added additional steel screens to windows to increase air flow in Power Plant Building. After construction phase of the Upper Hydro Plant some landscaping has been restored around the building additional gravel brought in and leveled out and the road that was cut through for conduits to run wires. A retaining wall was installed to protect penstock. The Upper Hydro Plant is complete and in full operations. The final reimbursement was submitted.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2017

GEECS (Generalized Equipment and Experiment Control System)

GEECS (Generalized Equipment and Experiment Control System) monitors and controls equipment distributed across a network, performs experiments by scanning input variables, and collects and stores various types of data synchronously from devices. Examples of devices include cameras, motors and pressure gauges. GEEKS is based upon LabView graphical object oriented programming (GOOP), allowing for a modular and scalable framework. Data is published for subscription of an arbitrary number of variables over TCP. A secondary framework allows easy development of graphical user interfaces for a combined control of any available devices on the control system without the need of programming knowledge. This allows for rapid integration of GEECS into a wide variety of systems. A database interface provides for devise and process configuration while allowing the user to save large quantities of data to local or network drives.

Gonsalves, Anthony↗

DOE OSTI2016

Interface Control Document for the EMPACT Module that Estimates Electric Power Transmission System Response to EMP-Caused Damage

The EPREP code is designed to evaluate the effects of an Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) on the electric power transmission system. The EPREP code embodies an umbrella framework that allows a user to set up analysis conditions and to examine analysis results. The code links to three major physics/engineering modules. The first module describes the EM wave in space and time. The second module evaluates the damage caused by the wave on specific electric power (EP) transmission system components. The third module evaluates the consequence of the damaged network on its (reduced) ability to provide electric power to meet demand. This third module is the focus of the present paper. The EMPACT code serves as the third module. The EMPACT name denotes EMP effects on Alternating Current Transmission systems. The EMPACT algorithms compute electric power transmission network flow solutions under severely damaged network conditions. Initial solutions are often characterized by unacceptible network conditions including line overloads and bad voltages. The EMPACT code contains algorithms to adjust optimally network parameters to eliminate network problems while minimizing outages. System adjustments include automatically adjusting control equipment (generator V control, variable transformers, and variable shunts), as well as non-automatic control of generator power settings and minimal load shedding. The goal is to evaluate the minimal loss of customer load under equilibrium (steady-state) conditions during peak demand.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2018

Economic Sizing of Batteries for the Smart Home: Preprint

This paper presents a methodology to economically size a home battery based on parametric analysis using home energy management system (HEMS) software to optimally dispatch the battery along with controllable loads under several use cases. We account for connected equipment, controls, renewable resources, and other factors such as building characteristics and utility tariffs. The paper defines an analytical pathway for such a sizing tool, develops initial sizing guidance, and clarifies technical and market opportunities for home batteries in the context of existing and emerging equipment and control technologies. A parametric analysis that included 132 scenarios has been performed based on different combinations of pertinent parameters. Results indicate that four variables dominate the decision-making process: application scenarios (new construction or retrofit), utility tariffs, existence of HEMS, and the anticipated payback time. Life-cycle cost analysis indicated that in the absence of utility incentives, batteries plus HEMS have a payback time of longer than 10 years for new construction under a time-of-use rate structure and feed-in tariff; larger batteries have a longer payback time but may provide more benefits to utilities on reducing power backfeed under certain circumstances.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2013

Fabrication of nanogradient coatings for laser devices using the method of magnetron sputtering

Significant advantages of the magnetron sputtering method for producing complex high-quality optical coatings for laser devices are shown. Technology aspects of efficient fabrication of such coatings are considered. The capabilities of the developed automated technological and control equipment are described. (nanogradient dielectric coatings and metamaterials)

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2017

Equipment for subcriticality monitoring by pulse method - 240

At the present time methods and means of determining, evaluating, and monitoring the effective neutron multiplication factor or the subcriticality are becoming very important for validating and monitoring nuclear safety in connection with the accumulation of a large number of spent fuel assemblies and the transition to a more tight mode of their storage arrangement in the spent-fuel pools of NPP. Pulse method is an effective subcriticality monitoring tool for subcritical reactors and spent nuclear fuel storages. This method is based on the use neutron generator, fission chambers and instrumentation for data acquisition and processing. The measurement and control equipment was designed. It allows: neutron pulses generation with specified parameters; neutron flux response monitoring by measuring the count rate at predetermined set of sequential time intervals; data transmitting to the personal computer; data processing and subcriticality calculation; self diagnostics and health monitoring; data recording, archiving and storage. The special device is proposed to check the electronic equipment. This device simulates a signal of a neutron detector counting rate after neutron generator pulses appear. The paper presents hardware structure and composition, specification and software of the control unit, which provides neutron generator operation, data acquisition and processing. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2024

SMARTER Rules-Based Distributed Deconfliction of ADMS Applications

A conceptual numerical methodology derived from Grid Architecture principles is introduced for deconflicting setpoints issued by multiple advanced distribution management system applications. The methodology applies technical, economic, environmental, and social rules to eliminate non-viable combinations. The concept of temporal equipment controls budgets is introduced to preserve the health of physical assets and avoid equipment damage through repeated controls cycling. The rules are combined with a multi-criteria decision-making framework to select a near-optimal set of deconflicted setpoints using a set of qualitative and quantitative decision criteria selected by the distribution system operator. Numerical results are demonstrated on the IEEE 123-bus test feeder for three competing applications. Three alternative distributed schemes are used to decompose the problem: by topological area, by phase, and fully decentralized. The fully decentralized implementation is shown to yield near-optimal deconfliction results with significantly reduced computational time.

Anderson, Alexander A.↗

DOE OSTI2016

Materials Challenges and Experimental Approaches to Understanding Long-Term Materials Behavior for Extended Nuclear Plant Operations

Commercial nuclear reactors present a very challenging environment for materials to operate within. Materials undergo combinations of environmental stressors that include high temperatures, contact with water, high stress loading, fatigue, and intense radiation fields. Over twenty five different metal alloys can be found within the primary and secondary systems along with numerous types of materials present in the containment vessel, concrete structures, instrumentation and control equipment, cabling, buried piping, and other support facilities. Dominant forms of degradation may vary greatly between the different systems, structures and components. Understanding materials degradation is necessary for informed long-term operation decisions that establish materials limits, support focused planning of materials inspections, provide economic and safety based decisions on component replacement, and allow for more appropriate regulatory guidelines. (author)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2020

Fossil Power Plant Cyber Security Life-Cycle Risk Reduction, A Practical Framework for Implementation

Market conditions are forcing fossil electricity generation facility owners and operators to implement advanced digital technologies. These technologies enable efficiencies, operational flexibility, operations and maintenance efficiencies, and adapting to a transitioning workforce. These digital technologies, however, can increase the cybersecurity attack surface. The purpose of this research was to develop a holistic cybersecurity risk reduction framework for fossil generation facilities. The framework begins with assessing how cyber risk changes across facility life cycles, including plant, system, vendor, and business life cycles. The next phase performs consequence analysis to prioritize high consequence events. Focusing on high consequence events allows owners to use a graded, risk-informed approach to prioritize cybersecurity efforts. The final phase identifies the digital asset attack surface in sensors and instrumentation and control equipment. After the vulnerabilities are identified, the owner selects mitigating cybersecurity control measures (or countermeasures) based on the risk analysis from the previous phases. This report describes the current industry cybersecurity best practices in fossil generation that are based on the first principles for cybersecurity engineering. The report is divided into five sections that describe the implementation of the risk reduction framework and present identified research, methodological, and technology gaps that were identified through this course of research and development.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

DOE OSTI2020

Fossil Power Plant Cyber Security Life-Cycle Risk Reduction: A Practical Framework for Implementation

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2020

Fossil Power Plant Cyber Security Life-Cycle Risk Reduction: A Practical Framework for Implementation

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Physical Sciences Vistas: Perspectives on Simultaneous Excellence (Issue 1, 2023)

The issue begins with an article highlighting Physics Division’s involvement in diagnostic development that led to the measurement of ignition at the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Subsequent articles transition to some of the materials development occurring in Sigma, Materials Science and Technology, and Materials Physics and Applications divisions. This is inclusive of the development of next generation moderator materials as an enabling technology of small modular reactors. These materials will most likely be qualified at a facility at Idaho National Laboratory. The issue also highlights development of novel, additively manufactured foams for next generation weapons. This work is being done in close collaboration with the Kansas City National Security Campus to enable transition of materials development to production in a more agile way. Finally, an article describes Accelerator Operations and Technology Division’s hard work to replace the legacy remote instrumentation and control equipment at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) with a modern control system. The story discusses how that engineering success will lead to improved sustainability of the beam during operation and thus a better experience for all of our collaborators and partners in the LANSCE user program.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2021

Fusion-based occupancy sensing for building systems

Sensing and control apparatus for a building HVAC system includes interior and boundary sensors, such as cameras and thermal sensors, generating sensor signals conveying occupancy-related features for an area. A controller uses the sensor signals to produce an occupancy estimate and to generate equipment-control signals to cause the HVAC system to supply conditioned air to the area based on the occupancy estimate. The controller includes fusion systems collectively generating the occupancy estimate by corresponding fusion calculations, the fusion systems producing a boundary occupancy-count change based on sensor signals from the boundary sensors, an interior occupancy count based on sensor signals from the interior sensors, and the overall occupancy estimate. Fusion may be of one or multiple types including cross-modality fusion across different sensor types, within-modality fusion across different instances of same-type sensors, and cross-algorithm fusion using different algorithms for the same sensor(s).

Konrad, Janusz L.↗

DOE OSTI2019

Reporting Verification of BOP Shear Ram Capability: Requirements and Good Practices on Reporting Blowout Preventer (BOP) Shear Ram Capability for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Operations

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) Well Control Rule (Subpart G)1 became effective on July 28, 2016. This rule is part of the BSEE regulations pertaining to well control equipment used for oil and gas operations on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). More recently BSEE issue a proposed rule to amend portions of the 2016 well control rule. This proposed rule (now implemented) appeared in the Federal Register on May 18, 2018. This report was prepared late in the public comment period for the current rule and intended is a sample of desirable documentation of blind shear ram shear testing and associated regulatory requirements either in place or anticipated at the time of preparation. In accordance with this original rule and the proposed revisions, BSEE requests specific information regarding the capabilities of blind shear rams (BSR) in the Blowout Preventer (BOP). This information is required prior to beginning any operation involving the use of any BOP. More specifically, Title 30 CFR 250.732(b) of these regulations requires documentation of shear testing demonstrating the shearing and sealing capabilities of the BOP BSR. Such documentation is consistent with and complementary to other documentation verifying the designs of individual well control components and the overall BOP system. Verification demonstrates performance and reliability of the equipment based on a testing process that is repeatable and reproducible.2 This document, an annotated outline of verification documentation, arises from the combination of regulations and good practices concerning how to report BOP shear ram tests and third-party verification of BSR capability to support BSEE’s regulatory role.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

DOE OSTI2022

2021 Component Innovation Awardee: Windurance, LLC

Distributed wind turbine manufacturers seeking to enter the market are often hampered by two challenges: not enough capital and no specific expertise in developing certified electronic equipment. A harsh reality is that off-the-shelf power electronics are neither certified nor cost-effective. This lack of certified controller equipment in the distributed wind energy industry adds expense and impedes market penetration related to certification for individual wind turbines, wind system projects, and installations. Normally, these certification costs would be borne repeatedly by individual turbine manufacturers or developers on a model-by-model or project-by-project basis, resulting in cost and time delays as well as uncertainty and risk for project developers and prospective owners. Windurance seeks to eliminate these challenges by developing and obtaining third-party certification of a standardized wind turbine controller. This will facilitate development, certification, and production while supporting efficiencies not easily achievable by individual manufacturers. Windurance's Distributed Wind Industry Turbine Controller will enable manufacturers to apply proprietary turbine- specific configurations and functionality. When applicable, manufacturers can expand on a Windurance-provided software framework to add unique or proprietary functionality.

CIP↗

DOE OSTI2013

Final Technical Report - Modernization of the Boulder Canyon Hydroelectric Project

The Boulder Canyon Hydroelectric Project (BCH) was purchased by the City of Boulder, CO (the city) in 2001. Project facilities were originally constructed in 1910 and upgraded in the 1930s and 1940s. By 2009, the two 10 MW turbine/generators had reached or were nearing the end of their useful lives. One generator had grounded out and was beyond repair, reducing plant capacity to 10 MW. The remaining 10 MW unit was expected to fail at any time. When the BCH power plant was originally constructed, a sizeable water supply was available for the sole purpose of hydroelectric power generation. Between 1950 and 2001, that water supply had gradually been converted to municipal water supply by the city. By 2001, the water available for hydroelectric power generation at BCH could not support even one 10 MW unit. Boulder lacked the financial resources to modernize the facilities, and Boulder anticipated that when the single, operational historical unit failed, the project would cease operation. In 2009, the City of Boulder applied for and received a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant for $1.18 million toward a total estimated project cost of $5.155 million to modernize BCH. The federal funding allowed Boulder to move forward with plant modifications that would ensure BCH would continue operation. Federal funding was made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. Boulder determined that a single 5 MW turbine/generator would be the most appropriate capacity, given the reduced water supply to the plant. Average annual BCH generation with the old 10 MW unit had been about 8,500 MW-hr, whereas annual generation with a new, efficient turbine could average 11,000 to 12,000 MW-hr. The incremental change in annual generation represents a 30% increase in generation over pre-project conditions. The old turbine/generator was a single nozzle Pelton turbine with a 5-to-1 flow turndown and a maximum turbine/generator efficiency of 82%. The new unit is a double nozzle Pelton turbine with a 10-to-1 flow turndown and a maximum turbine/generator efficiency of 88%. This alone represents a 6% increase in overall efficiency. The old turbine operated at low efficiencies due to age and non-optimal sizing of the turbine for the water flow available to the unit. It was shut down whenever water flow dropped to less than 4-5 cfs, and at that flow, efficiency was 55 to 60%. The new turbine will operate in the range of 70 to 88% efficiency through a large portion of the existing flow range and would only have to be shut down at flow rates less than 3.7 cfs. Efficiency is expected to increase by 15-30%, depending on flow. In addition to the installation of new equipment, other goals for the project included: Increasing safety at Boulder Canyon Hydro Increasing protection of the Boulder Creek environment Modernizing and integrating control equipment into Boulder's municipal water supply system, and Preserving significant historical engineering information prior to power plant modernization. From January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2012, combined consultant and contractor personnel hours paid for by both the city and the federal government have totaled approximately 40,000. This equates roughly to seven people working full time on the project from January 2010 through December 2012. This project also involved considerable material expense (steel pipe, a variety of valves, electrical equipment, and the various components of the turbine and generator), which were not accounted for in terms of hours spent on the project. However, the material expense related to this project did help to create or preserve manufacturing/industrial jobs throughout the United States. As required by ARRA, the various components of the hydroelectric project were manufactured or substantially transformed in the U.S. BCH is eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places due in part to its unique engineering features and innovative construction techniques. Special efforts were directed toward documenting the (largely original) interior of the plant and installing new equipment without modifying the power plant exterior in order to preserve the historical significance of the facility. In addition, a significant portion of the historical equipment within the power plant was preserved in place. The modernization project began with DOE grant award on January 1, 2010, and the project was completed on December 31, 2012. In addition to city engineering and hydroelectric staff, major project participants included AECOM (design/engineering) Canyon Industries (turbine/generator manufacture), Gracon Corporation (general construction contractor), Exponential Engineering Company (electrical engineering) and URS Corporation (historical documentation), as well as numerous other subcontractors and consultants.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Integrating a Microgrid Controller with a Local OpenADR Server

When military microgrids isolate themselves from the main electrical grid, they must locally balance electricity supply and demand. Since local generation may be limited, the current strategy is to shed all but the most critical loads by tripping smart circuit breakers, which must then be reset manually (e.g., ESTCP project EW-201350). This strategy is typically applied at the building level, meaning that entire buildings housing mission critical activities must be excluded from any load management, while those considered non-critical may lose service entirely. The remotely controlled switchgear needed to manage load in this way is very expensive ($\$30,000$-$\$50,000$ per building). While effective at shedding load, this strategy disrupts installation operation and risks damaging equipment during both disconnection and re-energization. With the goals of lowering costs, protecting equipment, and enhancing the agility of DoD microgrids, this report demonstrates the use of cybersecure automated demand response (ADR) technology to manage microgrid loads during grid-independent (a.k.a. "islanded") operation. This automated approach achieves load shedding and shifting through communication signals sent to equipment controllers rather than by cutting off the flow of electricity within the microgrid itself. Because it operates only on the base network, with no connection to external entities, this strategy avoids the main cybersecurity concern raised by past applications of ADR on military bases.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2023

Automated Air Sealing Demonstration: Denver Federal Center Building 40

This project aimed to demonstrate building airtightness achieved by automated air sealing in a commercial building setting. The automated air sealing demonstrated in this project uses a modified blower door to pressurize and distribute the sealing aerosol to achieve the required building airtightness. To demonstrate this technology, Building 40 at the Denver Federal Center, a federally owned campus under the jurisdiction, custody and control of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), was selected for testing (Figure 2). This building is currently undergoing several retrofit projects, including increasing insulation, installing high-performance windows, and adding advanced equipment, control systems, and automated air sealing. This demonstration project involved installing automated air sealing and measuring the improvements in the building's airtightness. The automated air sealing was installed over two days by AeroBarrier, the vendor. An external blower door test contractor measured the airtightness of the demonstration space before and after air sealing. The new airtightness value and the percentage increase in airtightness were used to evaluate the energy savings potential of automated air sealing. These airtightness values were used to compute the energy savings and CO 2 emissions reduction for different climate zones, building types, and initial airtightness conditions. In addition, the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) load reduction attributable to the reduced building air leakage was studied. This study included research to determine the cost and time reduction of automated air sealing. Finally, the automated air sealing performance was evaluated qualitatively using a focus group discussion that included GSA and Bristol, the general contractor. The installation has shown the demonstration site, with a floor size of 4,462 ft 2 , air leakage has reduced by more than 50% in less than 7 hours, including preparation, site sealing, and cleanup. The performance objectives were classified as quantitative or qualitative based on the evaluation metrics used to assess the project’s success. The key performance objectives for this project were the level of airtightness achieved, the time and cost required to perform the sealing, and the HVAC load reduction attributable to air sealing. Table 1 shows the quantitative performance objectives.

42 ENGINEERING↗